Browne, Gonsalves journey to Libya

National scholar Luke Browne, the Unity Labour Party’s East Kingstown candidate in the next general elections, will join Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves and his wife Eloise Gonsalves on a trip to Libya today, Friday, July 23.{{more}}

“Mr. Browne is coming with me as somebody who is an Africanist, who has written on these matters and who would advise me on pan-African matters,” Gonsalves told reporters on Tuesday.

Before travelling to Uganda for the African Union summit, Gonsalves will hold discussions with the Libyan government on matters relating to the international airport being constructed here.

The Libyans two months ago gave US$2 million “to show good faith”, Gonsalves said.

Gonsalves was a research assistant at the Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, and wrote a doctoral thesis on “The Political Economy of Trade Unions and Industrial Relations in Uganda – From Colonialism to Amin (1950 -1971)”.

Gonsalves said Browne has spoken and written on African matters, noting his lecture series “Behold the Man” which was later published as a book.

Browne will face off with Leader of the Opposition, economist Arnhim Eustace, who has been the three-time representative of East Kingstown, in a battle for that seat in the next general elections.

General elections are due next March, 2011, latest, but are widely expected later this year.(KXC)